Full Name: Zakithi Zama
Position and Company Name: Stakeholder relations manager at Minerals Council South Africa (MCSA)
Main Activity of the Company: MCSA is South Africa’s mining industry employers organisation that supports and promotes the mining industry
Date and Place of Birth: March 1968, Durban
Education: MBL, BCom
First Job: Project coordinator at Umlazi College for Further Education
Management Style: Facilitative – managing stakeholder relations requires flexibility, balance and collaborative actions
Personal Best Achievement: Attaining my three degrees while working full-time
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My maternal grandmother for the life principles she instilled in my mother, Dulcy Zama: “Try, get defeated and become frustrated; get back up and succeed.” I am now transferring the same principles to my daughter
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My aunt, Cynthia Zama-Mpati – she taught me about resilience and professional integrity at the workplace
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Aliko Dangote, the owner of the multibillion-dollar diversified Dangote Group
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Someone I call a friend, Nokuthula Luthuli, who is the founder and MD of Bloom Marketing. She is a passionate business woman with boundless energy and endless enthusiasm
Philosophy of Life: Become the architect of your own future – from thoughts to actions
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Aunt Cynthia, who was the executive director of Umlazi College, gave me a huge responsibility straight after college: I was put in charge of the administration of the project she established to train unqualified teachers to certification level of accreditation
Biggest Ever Disappointment: I see setbacks as preparation for the best to come – I tend to grow from most of my challenging experiences
Hope for the Future: Well-resourced primary education in our country
Favourite Reading: Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty, by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson
Favourite TV Programme: Lifestyle programmes, in general
Favourite Food/Drink: Being in Cape Town allows me to sample world-class cuisine
Favourite Music: Rhythm and blues
Favourite Sport: Tennis
Hobbies: Hiking and swimming; I am trying to get back into golf
Car: Porsche Cayman S
Pets: None
Miscellaneous Dislikes: I have learned to ignore things I am likely not to like
Married: Single
Children: Thembelihle, 30
Clubs: None